MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of June 20-26, 2005, Big Island police arrested 22 motorists for drunk driving. Two of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash, and two were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 506 DUI arrests, compared to 515 during the same period last year, a decrease of 2 percent. The number of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District

District

Weekly Total

Year to Date

Hamakua

0

5

North Hilo

0

2

South Hilo

5

130

Puna

3

86

Ka’u

1

14

Kona

11

240

South Kohala

1

24

North Kohala

1

5

Island Total

22

506

There have been 1,144 major accidents so far this year, compared to 1,173 during the same period last year, a decrease of 2 percent.

There have been 16 traffic fatalities on the Big Island so far this year, compared to 22 for the same period last year, a decrease of 27 percent. There have been ten alcohol-related fatalities so far this year, compared to seven at this time last year, an increase of 43 percent. There have been nine drug-related fatalities so far this year, compared to 10 at the same time last year, a decrease of 10 percent.